Oral History Review

Celebrate 50 years of oral history research

Browse our website Forward email Share email

OHA@50: New Virtual Issue This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Oral History Association. The Oral History Review is celebrating with its first ever virtual issue, coordinated by the journal’s editors in collaboration with OHA members who shared their nominations. Explore a collection of fifteen highly influential OHR articles that probe the nature and value of oral history—freely available for a limited time.     Start reading »

This virtual issue, the first produced by the Oral History Review’s editors, is presented in celebration of the Oral History Association’s fiftieth anniversary. It brings together fifteen articles, all previously published in the Review, that probe the nature and value of oral history. That theme is, admittedly, capacious, and it was purposely chosen to showcase some of the most influential work published in the journal. The aim of this virtual issue is to show how understanding of these essential aspects of our practice has been explored in the pages of the Review since it began publication in 1973. Editors' Introduction Kathryn Nasstrom, Troy Reeves, and Andrew Shaffer Black History, Oral History, and Genealogy Alex Haley, Issue 1.1, 1973 Can Anyone over Thirty Be Trusted: A Friendly Critique of Oral History Ron Grele, Issue 6.1, 1978 Oral History and Hard Times: A Review Essay Michael Frisch, Issue 7.1, 1979 Why Call It "Oral History"? Searching for Early Usage of a Generic Term Charles T. Morrissey, Issue 8.1, 1980 Oral History and the Writing of Ethnic History: A Reconnaissance into Method and Theory Gary Y. Okihiro, Issue 9.1, 1981 Developing a Critical Dialogue about Oral History: Some Notes Based on an Analysis of Book Reviews Linda Shopes, Issue 14.1, 1986 Beginning Where We Are: Feminist Methodology in Oral History Kathryn Anderson, Susan Armitage, Dana Jack, and Judith Wittner, Issue 15.1, 1987 History-Telling and Time: An Example from Kentucky Alessandro Portelli, Issue 20.1, 1992 "Do I Like Them Too Much?": Effects of the Oral History Interview on the Interviewer and Vice-Versa Valerie Yow, Issue 24.1, 1997 "We Know What the Problem Is": Using Oral History to Develop a Collaborative Analysis of Homelessness from the Bottom Up Daniel Kerr, Issue 30.1, 2003 Kissing Cousins: Journalism and Oral History Mark Feldstein, Issue 31.1, 2004 Before Columbia: The FWP and American Oral History Research Jerrold Hirsch, Issue 34.2, 2007 The Limits of Oral History: Ethics and Methodology amid Highly Politicized Research Settings Erin Jessee, Issue 38.2, 2011 The Affective Power of Sound: Oral History on Radio Siobhán McHugh, Issue 39.2, 2012 Shifting Questions: New Paradigms for Oral History in a Digital World Steve Cohen, Issue 40.1, 2013